


Introspection - Crazy Cat Tale Version

by cutsycat



Series: Dictionary.Com Word of the Day Drabbles [1372]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 13:08:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20675891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutsycat/pseuds/cutsycat
Summary: McGee gathers what is needed to disguise the portal, but has a crisis of conscience.





	Introspection - Crazy Cat Tale Version

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jane_x80](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jane_x80/gifts).

> Another dictionary.com word of the day drabble. This time from 02/01/2003 for the word [introspection](http://www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/2003/02/01/introspection).
> 
> introspection[ in-truh-spek-shuhn ]  
noun  
observation or examination of one's own mental and emotional state, mental processes,etc.; the act of looking within oneself.  
the tendency or disposition to do this.  
sympathetic introspection.
> 
> This is for jane_x80 as it's her comments that led to this series starting. You can find the comments on previous entries in the series. 
> 
> This is a continuation of [Portend](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8885206), [Ratiocination](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8907304), [Equivocate](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8919556)... [Remunerate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12740088), [Conflate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12789753), [Bilious](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12815319), [Tintinnabulation](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12849654), [Agitprop](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12923004), [Voluble - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13377990), [Desideratum - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13775349), [Farrago - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13813989), [Proclivity - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13888944), [Recalcitrant - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14030937), [Collude - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15263964), [Vociferous - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15491991), [Fulminate - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15659430), [Chagrin - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16019081), [Tortuous - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16028429), [Perspicacity - Cracy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16130096), [Hirsute - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16694437), [Recondite - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17473211), [Fortuitous - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18732697), [Legerdemain - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18777826), [Moiety - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18826204), [Mercurial - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18883795), [Effulgence - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19101709), [Cadre - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19201240), [Clarion - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19251184), [Beneficence - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19305271), [Foment - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19447312), [Encumbrance - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19740205), [Meticulous - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19791220), [Irrefragable - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19897759), [Posit - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20001178), [Propinquity - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20080516), [Subfusc - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20121871), [Pugilist - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20177194), [Provenance - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20324389), [Gloaming - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20375050), [Apparition - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20449217), and [Consanguineous - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20578469).
> 
> As always comments, kudos, and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated.

McGee quickly took the freeway exit and turned off the road. He breathed a sigh of relief when it appeared that no one was following him. He just hoped that Abby came through for them. 

After waiting another five minutes to make sure the coast really was clear, McGee got on the freeway going the opposite direction. Now, he could head to his apartment without worrying that the Director would find out what he was up to. His shoulders relaxed once he was at his apartment with no sign of being followed. 

The first thing he grabbed was his personal signal detection device. He used it on his apartment on a semi-regular basis to make sure that there were no listening devices or other spying equipment in his home environment. Technically, it shouldn’t be needed, but he’d always preferred knowing for sure. He’d never actually caught anything on any of his scans and it gave him some peace of mind to know that he was as safe as he could be. 

With this device he could see what effect the measures he took to hide the portal were having. He didn’t have all of the equipment needed to mask the signals, so he grabbed what he could and stopped by a store that specialized in hiding such signals. He picked up a few personal shield devices and area defender devices as well as various parts that he could use to disrupt sound waves to create his own muffler.

He checked his purchases and grabbed a few more items for redirecting radio waves before checking out and heading back to Bishop. He just hoped that this would work without damaging the portal. Maybe they didn’t care if the portal was damaged, though. McGee still wasn’t convinced that Tony or Gibbs traveled using this.

He felt like this portal was more for mortal people without magic to travel through. As he drove back, he speculated about what ‘don’t forget the grass’ could mean from the spirit. For that matter, why were they listening to a spirit? Maybe it was all a hoax. 

McGee arrived back at Tony’s apartment and quickly headed up to where Bishop was. “Anything new?”

“Nope. It’s been quiet.”

“Good. Should we go through the portal?”

“The spirit said not to.”

“How do we know the spirit can be trusted? Maybe this is all a plan to hurt Tony and Gibbs by keeping them trapped on the other side.”

Bishop frowned, “What’s gotten into you, McGee? Why are you acting like this? You know that the spirit is related to the prophecy. It knew too much about the prophecy for it not to be.”

“Wouldn’t our enemies know just as much? Besides could it really harm anything for us to go through the portal for just a peek?”

“Yes. I think you should take a step back and think about what you’re saying. Are you trying to trap Tony and Gibbs over there? Is there a reason you don’t want them to return?”

“I’m trying to save them. They could be hurt over there and need our help.”

“And you think that us blundering into a world we have no knowledge of will help the person who came from that world?”

McGee blinked sheepishly. “I am being a little crazy, aren’t I?”

Bishop shook her head. “More than a bit. Here, let me do this. I think you need to take some time for introspection to find out why you were so set on going through the portal.”

McGee nodded and moved over to a corner. He’d been all over the place since finding out about Tony’s ability to turn into a cat and then about the prophecy. He loved playing video games involving quests and prophecies, but finding himself in the middle of basically a real life video game was a little disturbing.

He wasn’t playing a role that he could put down and go back to. This was his real life. How was this his real life? He was just a normal geeky kid who grew up with a father in the Navy. It didn’t make sense.

Also, why did Tony get to play the hero. If he was stuck in a real life video game, he should be the hero damn it, not some supporting character. McGee realized that jealousy was one of the strongest reasons he’d wanted to go through the portal and felt a touch ashamed.

At the same time, he hated that Tony and Gibbs could go see this magical world whenever and he couldn’t even see it once. They weren’t even bringing back pictures or anything. He was sure that Tony would tell him that it wasn’t as magical as he thought it was, but how could he know without seeing it? 

McGee slumped against the corner as he realized that he’d been contemplating purposefully messing up the prophecy just to see what the world looked like once. He’d doom Earth for his own selfishness. No wonder he didn’t get to play the hero. How did Tony handle it?

He’d always thought Tony was one of the most selfish people he’d ever met, yet, somehow he was King and he didn’t want to be. It didn’t make sense to McGee. McGee would love to be King. Some of his favorite video games allowed him to rule over nations and they were awesome.

Lost in his thoughts, McGee didn’t realize anything was wrong until he heard Bishop scream. Glancing up, McGee quickly stood and rushed over to the portal reaching out to grab Bishop’s hand as she was sucked in. “Bishop!”

His first attempt to grab Bishop’s hand failed and he thought for sure, Bishop would vanish through the portal, but he managed to grab her hand the second time and pulled her out. He breathed heavily as the adrenaline rushed through his system from the close call.

Both Bishop and McGee collapsed on the floor, just breathing, as they tried to recover from their encounter with the portal. Finally, McGee got his breath back and turned to Bishop to ask, “What happened?”

**Author's Note:**

> The dictionary.com series has 2 stories already written for it after this one, so I will be posting at least 2 stories before I stop posting again. I have no Crazy Cat Tale update written, but hopefully I'll get more written soon. Wish me luck!
> 
> It's 2019 now and I have closed my 2018 Prompt collection, but fear not my 2019 Prompt Collection is now open [here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/cutsycat_NCIS_Prompts_2019/profile). Just click the sign up link. ;) It will remain open until the beginning of 2020. I'm hoping to complete all the 2019 prompts by the end of 2020. Do not fear I have not forgotten about the 2018 prompts and will continue working through them. It's just easier for me to not get overwhelmed if I keep the prompts separated by the year they were given to me.
> 
> If you are not an ao3 member, you can prompt me [here](http://cutsycat.livejournal.com/50701.html). Please follow the same rules as are listed in the above link. However, because this is a handmade prompt form(that thinks it's a poll), it is considerably more limited than what ao3 provides, so please use the ao3 form if you're an ao3 member. Please note the name option is for a name that I can say this is for so that you know it's for you. Since this is for non ao3 members it won't be true gifts, but you will be mentioned in the notes. Please note if you have already voted in the poll and would like to request more stories you can just add a comment to the poll. Please include the name along with the prompt, so that I can appropriately gift the prompt to you.
> 
> For any authors that want to chat and/or are looking for a place where they can toss plot ideas around and get input from people, you can come join my discord server that is specifically geared towards writing/encouraging people to write and authors. The invite link is [here](https://discord.gg/HFvwpCq). If you're not an author, but want to chat with me about writing/stories or anything else you are welcome to join. I reserve the right to boot you from my server if all you do is pester me about updates, however. *grin* Really anyone who wants to talk about writing and/or plot ideas for various stories is welcome to join. 
> 
> I do not currently have a discord dedicated to my stories. If anyone would be interested in joining a group chat server that is focused on my stories please comment below. Also, if you would like such a thing what kind of things would you like to know about? Please share those with me.
> 
> Also, Drakonyashka has translated a couple of my works into Russian. [Tutelage](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12378780) and [Imbue](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12378840). Go support them. 


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